Midnight Patrol
by David J. Oates
Summary: The late watch has always provided General Seth time to be alone with his thoughts, but things are no longer simple for the legendary Silver Knight. SethxEirika, FranzxAmelia


The sound of mail-shod feet echoed hollowly on the hard stone floors of the castle as a lone, red-haired figure slowly made his rounds, pretending not to notice as the local guards snapped to attention at his approach, trying in vain to appear as if they hadn't spent the last two hours snoozing against their pikes. They weren't his men to discipline, after all.

Technically, every last one of his company, including himself, had been declared off-duty following the final, exhausting battle in Darkling Woods, but technically was never a term that General Seth had ever taken advantage of. Besides, it was not as if he was going to get any sleep anyway.

There were too many thoughts running around in his head for that, and not the sort of thoughts that were entirely fitting for a Knight to be contemplating. Duty and honour, and thoughts of how best to achieve these, were proper considerations for a Knight, yet somehow the steadfast pursuit of these goals that had secured his meteoric rise through the ranks had led him to a situation that called his adherence to those very values into question. One wasn't supposed to fall in love with your liege lord after all.

"Sir?"

Startled, he whipped round to meet the concerned face of a guard, whose green-enamelled armour appeared almost black in the light of the torches. "It's nothing soldier," he responded, shaking away the troublesome thoughts, "return to your watch, and stay sharp; there are still remnant's of Lyon's forces out there."

That was the problem with the late watch, Seth mused, continuing his course through the castle. With the halls dark and quiet and the residents secure in their beds, it was far too easy for the mind to wander and thoughts to turn inwards. Early in his career, when guard duty was a necessary evil, he'd welcomed the opportunity for quiet contemplation it offered, but now it just served as an unwelcome distraction.

Moving past to the suite of rooms that they had been assigned upon returning to Rausten's capital, his steps now muffled by the thick carpets that decorated the living quarters of the privileged and titled, a flickering light from the ajar door to one of the sitting rooms caught his attention. Not an unexpected sight, in itself, but the weary General had not really expected to find one of their own still awake considering what they'd experienced.

Indeed, the rest of the company had been quick to make the most of the opportunity that their victory had afforded, with the scholarly catching up on the rest that the unaccustomed hardships of war had denied them, while others sought to lose themselves in drink, laughter and song in the courtly celebrations of Rausten's palace or the debauchery of the somewhat seedier taverns in the city. He didn't envy the man who'd had to carry Dozla to his bed.

Gently pushing the door open further, Seth allowed himself an indulgent smile as he beheld the scene before him. If he'd have been a betting man, he might have put money on the notoriously laid-back Forde having dragged his brother off, despite his protestations, to one of the less salubrious ale houses. Fortunately for the future of Renais, however, the most promising young knight of the current generation hadn't picked his sibling as a role model, although Seth idly wondered what deed or action had earned himself that position in the young man's eyes.

The fire in the room had almost burned down to embers, leaving only a faint light to illuminate the two figures present. Franz lay on his back, slumbering peacefully on the luxurious couch that had been drawn up close to the fire, his youthful face surprisingly open and innocent for one who had witnessed so much. It was not Franz alone that brought a smile to the General's face though.

Nestled in the circle of his arm and pressed intimately against the young knight's body, her blonde head resting comfortably against his neck, lay the petite form of the young Grado deserter. A contented expression adorned her features and the even ebb and flow of her breathing matched her companion's. He didn't know Amelia well, his initial strenuous objections to her presence combining with her natural shyness to make her sufficiently wary of him. Eirika had won that argument too. For some reason, and not simply because of her rank, she always won.

That was the first, and only time that Franz had ever stood up to him, his tone bordering on insubordination as he passionately defended the frightened young girl he had pulled out of the swirling melee at Port Kiris, and who had only minutes previously been his enemy.

Seth felt his heart go out to the both of them. Too young, in his opinion, to be exposed to the horrors of open warfare, they had somehow escaped the conflict unscathed, both physically and emotionally, and had gained far more than they had lost.

Silently, he crossed the room, commandeering a blanket with which to gently cover them. Seth allowed himself a chuckle as Franz shifted in his sleep, Amelia unconsciously burrowing in closer and tightening her arms around him while incoherently muttering something in protest.

"You always did have a sentimental side under that stern façade of yours," a soft and familiar voice remarked from the shadows as Seth stoked the fire to eke out its warmth for another hour or so.

"You should be resting, your Highness," Seth gently chided. In truth, he had known she was there long before she had spoken out, but he had not known how to initiate the conversation. "That last battle was hard on all of us, and you now hold the duty to help rebuild Renais."

"I could say the same to you Seth," she returned, moving forward into the light and appraising him with a fond expression. "We all have a responsibility to help rebuild what has been lost, and you don't have to maintain the formalities when we're alone."

In the flickering light of the rekindled fire, the princess' expression betrayed the affection she held for him, but there was also something else; a hardened determination that spoke quite clearly of a new resolve and of decisions made. "Now, more than ever, I must remain within the boundaries of protocol and title, your Highness," Seth responded, trying to maintain a neutral, indifferent expression. "Camaraderie on the battlefield is one thing, but in the world of court politics and diplomacy there is no room for a knight who does not know his place; the marriage of a queen has always been about alliances and advancement, not love."

"Your place is at my side Seth," Eirika snapped, with a fire he had rarely seen her display. "In case you hadn't noticed, the future heads of state of every country on the continent, save those weasels at Carcino, are currently sleeping all around us and the alliances between us are even stronger than before the war began, so who would _you_ have me marry?"

A sudden silence blanketed the room, save for the low crackle of the fireplace and the steady breaths of those present, as the Silver Knight suddenly found his logical arguments neatly sliced away from under him. Eirika, however, wasn't about to give him time to dream up any replacements.

"I'm still waiting, Seth," she ventured, her voice now soft but not lacking any of its previous steel. "Bear in mind that if the next word out of your mouth is _Innes_, you'll be getting acquainted with the wrong end of my sword fairly quickly; I'll leave the strengthening of ties with Frelia to my brother and Tana."

It began as a low chuckle that somehow escaped from behind Seth's normally iron façade as the last vestiges of his stubbornness crumbled away. In the end the legendary Silver Knight simply sank into a chair and let his mirth hold sway.

"What?"

Regaining control of himself, Seth found himself fondly appraising the woman he had come to love, a smile forming on his face as he allowed his feelings to show in his expression. "As the one who'll be providing castle security, I just hope I get some advanced warning when they come to announce that, Eirika," he mused, several entertaining scenarios playing out in his mind. "I'd imagine Innes' reaction will be quite vocal, not to mention his claim to be able to castrate a man at two hundred paces."

Eirika's eyes widened for a moment, before she too fell victim to her own imagination, sinking down into the chair with Seth as she shook in amusement. "I think I'll let my brother deal with that one for himself," she commented as her laughter subsided. "Call it the first test of his kingship."

Unconsciously, Seth's arms closed around his companion as she rested her head against his shoulder, her long hair covering his chest like a curtain. "So where do we go from here, love?" Seth sighed, absent-mindedly stroking her hair as she cuddled up against him. "The nobles will explode at the very notion of you marrying a commoner, even despite my rank and position, and King Ephraim holds the ultimate veto."

"My brother was to be my first port of call, actually", the princess replied, relaxing against him. "The knights of Renais will support you to a man and the common folk will be happy that there's a strong and fair rule again. Should my brother endorse it as well, the nobles will have no choice but to acquiesce; they need too much of our aid to restore their own lands."

"And if he doesn't?"

"Then I'll have my dear friend Tana beat him about the head until he does," she grinned, before reaching up to place a single lingering kiss on his lips, silencing any other objections. Though chaste, it held the possibility of a future that neither of them had allowed themselves to imagine. "Failing that, if a title's all that's needed, I'm sure I can find a nice Baronetcy to bestow on you; my brother's not the only one who can do that, after all."

She sighed, allowing her fingers to trace a path down his chest as they savoured their first moments of acceptance together. "Those two have the right idea," she commented softly, her gaze landing on the two unmoving forms on the couch. "Simple and uncomplicated is the way love should be, and I'm not about to allow stupid traditions and petty politics to prevent us from having that."

"I hope you're right," Seth breathed, not willing contemplate having their future snatched away after he had finally allowed himself to dream. "We should get some sleep."

A pair of watchful eyes followed the two as Seth and Eirika leaned into each other for one final, tender kiss before silently stealing away to their respective rooms. Everyone had lost so much in the war that had threatened to plunge the continent into darkness, but the warm presence of the sleeping form wrapped around him somehow made it impossible to regret its happening. Forde had always told him that everything would turn out for the best eventually, and for all that his brother was a layabout, he had been right. Tightening his arms around Amelia, Franz closed his eyes again with a contented smile on his face.

Tomorrow marked a new dawn for them all.


End file.
